Lightning-arrester.



ATENTED MAR. 19, 1907.

G. A. ROLPE.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED 313.13, 1903.

Unirnn screens fr eenen.

CEARLES A. ROLFE, OFAUILUN, MCEHGAN, ASSIGOR, BY lliESNll ASSG- MENTS, TO ROLFE ELECTRIC C0., GF ROCHESER, NEW YRK, A COR- PORATION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

rammed. Mai-ch. is, 19er.

Application letl February 13,1903. Serial No. 143,227.

To all wlw/n, it may concer/2,: Y

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. Roms, a citizen of the United States, residing at Adrian, in the county of Lenawee and State of Michigan, have invented a certain new'and useful Improvement in Lightning-Arresters, of which the following is a i'ull, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to lightnin'-arresters for high-potential discharges, suon as lightning and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical, and eilective form of light ning-arrester. Y

The lightning arrester which l herein show for carrying out my invention has suitable electrodes arranged close to one another,

and a small quantity or layer 0i material or substance which is a non-conductor whil Y. cold, but a conductor 'when warm or heated, is interposed between the adjacent or opposing faces ci these electrodes. By this arrangcment the material or substance under ordinary circumstances forms a gap in the circuit; but when lightning or other high poten- 'tial intrudes it jumps across this gap, thereby heating the material or substance and turning it into a conductor, so that it thereupon closes the circuit preferably to ground, allowing the lightning or other high potential to escape in that way. After the, trouble has passed the material or substance cools and again assumes its non-conducting character, thereby again forming an opening or gap in the circuit. As the substance interposed betwee-n the electrodes any suitable or desired material or substance having the characten istie above mentioned cin be employed. A

vmaterial of this general character can be made from earthsf'fsuch as lime, magnesio, zirconia, and thoria---preleral)ly mixed with small quantities of certain oxids, such as those of chromium, manganese, uranium, titanium, and niobium. .l lind a very satisfactory material to be a material composed of zirconia ninety parts, magnesia five parts, lime four parts, and sesquioxid of manganese one part. This is desirably made in the lorrn of a paste and applied to the `electrodes as a paint. i

in the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view ci a simple form of l.ightningarrester embodying my present 55 invention. Fig. is a vertical section of the same; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one ol the electrodes, showing its coated surface.

The form of lightning-arrester shown in the drawing is a simple form. illusnated merely to show the manner of carrying outl the. invention. No originality is claimed Yfor the particular mechanical construction or form ot the device. lt comprises a base l, made ci insulating material, such as poreelain, and three electrodes 2 2 and 3,niounted upon the base i., the electrodes 2 2 being line-eletrodes and the electrode 3 being a groundlelectrode interposed between the two line-electrodes. ihese electrodes could 7o be of any desired material or form, but are desirably made ot carbon in the form of long rectangular blocks. These electrodes are held ilr position by contact-strips 4 4 and 5, the two former boing for the line-electrodes 2 2 and litted into grooves therein, and the latter being for the ground-electrode 3 and iittcd in a groove in the same. The base 1 is provided with suitable binding-posts 6 and 7, the twoiormer for the line-electrodes 2 2 8O and the latter ior the ground-electrode 3, It is' understood that the binding-posts 6 6 are connected in the usual manner with the line and binding-post with ground.

Small quantities or layers S 8 of a' sub- 35 stance or material having the )roperty of being a non-conductor when cold and a couductor when warm ,or heated are interposed between the adjacent faces o'l the electrodes.

A. desimblo substance l'or this purpose is 90 zirconium ninety parts, umgnesia live parts, lime four parts, and sesquioxid oi' manganese one part. This is desirably madeuin the form oi' a paste or syrup and the i'aces of the electrodes properly coated with it with a brush. lu such case the layers H H form nonconductors under ordinary circumstances and prevent connection lufiro'een the line and ground electrode. when lightning or other high potential iutrudes upon the line, howloo ever, it umps across these layers S S, thereby heating them and hanging them to couduc tors, by which action the rircuit is grounded, thereby permitting` the lightning or other high potential 't0 escapa in this Way. After l Operation til? layers 8 S lng-come 300i :mil ref turn m filiali non-conductive strik, again electrically disamina@ *Ling the lin-9l :me 'ouml electrodes and removingtiie ground imm the line.

li', Will be readily secu that the invenbiuii can be applied L0 any form @f lightningarrestei' other than that herein shawn, which is merely Suluinittafl :1 Simp-le type ui' de vice. it will also be umlerstoud that my subs'bfmce- 0s: mmberial 0i' Composition @ber than that hei-fein Speciiml um l employed instead of 'that Immtiond.

" l/'Vlmt l. cla-im rial being in 'Lerpsed between the lectrodes, whereby when rm are passes between the elec'odos,` said material becomes conflueoi, and when such are dasists the Samia beomes nm'rcourlucoig Substantially as de- Scribefl.

il. with i tablishiugj Lion @n 'me passage of om am between said @led/Todes, and im di'estnblishing Said conile-ation on the cessmion of the mic.

witness whereof l nauw i903,

a lightiiing-mlestf, the combination e ,leutrmiazs thereof, of menus for esf ai low-resistance electrical connecl lierunto subscribe 22d day o1? January, A. D. 

